Bob Veith, Salmon Hatchery benefactor and former race car driver dies at 81
VEITH, Bob A veteran of 11 Indianapolis 500-Mile Races and the 1956 Rookie of the Year, "crossed the finish line" March 29, 2006 in Santa Rosa, CA. He was 81. He began his racing career in 1948 as a post World War II roadster driver and member of the California Roadsters Association paving the way for 11 Indy 500 starts beginning in 1954. Of his 11 starts in the Indianapolis "500", six ended up with finishes in the first 12, topped by his Rookie of the Year run to seventh place in 1956. During that time Veith also competed regularly in USAC sprint car races, ranking fourth in the 1956 Midwest point standings. For more than a decade, Veith was a member of the Champion Spark Plug Company's Highway Safety program in which Indianapolis 500 race drivers would visit the nation's high schools in order to pass on safe driving habits to students. Veith was inducted into the BCRA Hall of Fame in 1991 as well as the Indy "500" Hall of Fame. He retired from active racing in 1969 to his ranch in Hales Grove where he was able to pursue his wood art hobby. He was also active in the Westport Volunteer Fire Department and was Landlord of the Hollow Tree Creek Salmon Hatchery as well as on the Board of the Salmon Restoration Association, where action is taken to restore the natural wild salmon runs to rivers of Northern CA. Later, after his home burned, he moved to Santa Rosa to live with his daughter Christine Veith and granddaughter Amber Peters. They will greatly miss him as will his many friends. At his behest, no services were held. Condolences may be sent to veith61@comcast.net.